[3957]

Greetings everybody, this is my first post here. I am currently searching for a 97-99 2 door Tahoe to be my daily driver and also do some mild to moderate rock crawling (no serious mudding). Are there any factory options or packages I should look for? Is the Z-71 package worth pursuing, or is it mostly cosmetics? Did the positraction come standard with any package? What about gear ratios - is it just hit or miss what option packages will have the taller gears?

Let me know if there is a better place to ask these questions...

FWIW my previous vehicle was an Isuzu Trooper that was totaled on Christmas Eve when a guy ran a red light and T-boned me. I have run numerous trails at Moab over the past few years, and want to keep doing so when I find another vehicle...

 

[889]

Well, GM IFS that will be in that tahoe really isn't up to rock crawling. Even with stock tires, a guy around here was breaking his CV shafts on his 1 ton IFS. So unless you want to spend some serious money and do an SFA conversion, its not gonna be too good for rock crawling.

They made very few z71 Tahoe's, and it was basically a shock and skidplate package, so just concentrate on finding one with metal skidplates and you'll be fine.

Some came with the Factory g80 "locker" which is really a POS limitied slip, but it is known to gernade your rear end, so i wouldn't worry about having one as you should swap it out. Good Luck!

 

[Shorts]

Wow, you sound like my fiance - sure your name isn't Tim? haha k really though, he's om the same boat - got tboned Saturday on the icey roads and is looking for 99-01 cherokees or 2dr tahoes. hehehe we were test driving yesterday

anyway...to the questions, the tahoes are pretty nice daily driver. as far as packages go, get them to your liking(most of them are interior amenities). the Z71 package can be included, but, you can live without it. its just a skidplate, shock-type option. its not worth the markup some may have on it. but if you find one for a good proce anyway, why not.

the posi(G80 code) is pretty much in most(all??) 4x4s that roll out of the factory. so, just check the glove box RPOs to make sure.

gear ratios depend on why they came out of the factory with: 3.42, 3.73, 4.10. out of these, its normally 342s and 373s.

as mentioned above, the front end will be IFS. dikd thed trooper have IFS? if so, then you're familiar with its behavior over rocks. if not, then, IFS isn't the best for rocks, but it can be done depending on the level of torture.

good luck finding a truck. we're in the same boat and its a PITA, but at least you get a new vehicle out of it.

 

[3957]

Heh, I was "test sitting" a Grand Cherokee on Saturday (never reached the "test driving" stage), but I go 6'3" and I'm not skinny. My shoulder was jammed up against the B-pillar, so no Cherokee for me.

But I should clarify, my definition of "rockcrawling" is far from hardcore...I just wanna be able to run the moderate trails at Moab, such as Steelbender or at worst Poison Spider. I won't be tackling Golden Spike or Pritchett Canyon!

I ran a bunch of trails at Moab with my IFS Trooper without carnage...OK maybe one ding on Elephant Hill

. The Tahoe is a little bigger than the Trooper, but heck I had some guys in an extended cab Chevy pickup run Steelbender with me, they just had a little trouble on the tight corners

I'm just thinking of 285s and maybe 2" or 3" lift. A LSD diff would be nice, and I'd probably put on some rocker panel armor. The 3.73 gears would be nice for the 285s. I was just hoping there was an options package with the posi and the gears that I could look for.

 

[Shorts]

thats cool. when you're checking the RPOs, look for GT4(3.73s) and G80(posi rear). man, you'd love that tahoe we drove yesterday...maybe i should stop telling you about it...

 

[3957]

Ooooo...tellmetellmetellmetellme!

 

[Guest]

If you find a 2 dr then definatly get it. Ive got one and they are hard to find now in good shape. If you find a 96 or newer then it will more than likly have 3.73 95s and lower have 3.42s look at my web page at my pics of mine.

 

[3957]

Well that's good to hear (3.73s). Looked at your pics, looks nice - how come you didn't have those monster lights blazing while you were wheeling at night?

 

[889]

Ive got a 94, and im pretty sure i've got 3.73's. I think it depends on what tires came stock, if they're 245's or 265's

 

[742]

Got my 2dr tahoe sport in april 2002. Absolutley love it. I like the sport model than the normal model cause of the the two tone color and looks better in my opinion. Also has z71 suspension which means heavy duty bilstein shocks. If you can find a decent one, get it!

 

[Guest]

The picture wouldnt take good cause of the glare from the lights, so i had to turn them off. That picture was from a long time ago.

 

[3957]

Yeah, I do like the Sport look. Is yours lifted at all?

 

[742]

I have a 2.5" add a leaf and a .5" tbar crank. I have 285's on it currently on 16x8 wheels but i will be upgrading to 295's this summer. Those tires are equilavant to 33.5".. My dad would be furious if i lifted it. I had a 2" block in the rear and my dad came to school to visit me, and he was like is this thing lifted? I said no, you are getting older.. Thats why i resorted to the add a leaf.

 

[3957]

Cool. Are the leaf springs on a standard Tahoe over the axle or under? I'm guessing over, so when you "add a block" the block would be between the axle and the leafs.

My Trooper had rear coils, so it was a relatively simple thing to swap in a taller coil or spacer.

 

[742]

Leaf springs are over the axle. You are correct where the block would be wedged in between the axle and the leaf springs.

 

[3957]

OK, so if you just add a block, you aren't materially affecting ride quality in back.

But you swapped in (or added a leaf?) new leaf springs, stiffer I assume...how is the ride? I don't mind a firmer ride than stock, typically. I'm just trying to figure out what I will do to my future Tahoe.

And IIRC you added 2" in rear and .5" in front, doesn't look like there is that much rake from rear to front, wonder why...

 

[Shorts]

if you add a block under the leaf pack, the ride will remain the same because there is no interference within the pack.

if you put in an addaleaf, it goes into the pack. the addaleaf itself is stiffer to provide a little lift. so, the ride will change because the leaves above the addaleaf are now also going at the same rate of the adaleaf below them. they can't be as flexible.

i have an aal in my truck, and it was noticeable after i put it in. it doesn't bother me, as i'm use to the ride.

 

[742]

Basically what i did, was i took out the block.. I then added another leaf spring onto the pack. The ride is the same as it was stock. I purchased an explorer pro comp long leaf which gives the ride a stock feel. If you put in a smaller leaf, the ride will be stiffer. I personally like the way it is. Just like everyone else, the minute you put any sort of lift on, the next day you just want to go higher

... You can crank the tbar as high as you want, but should not do it anymore than 1". The front end is normally higher than the rear from the factory, and that is why i have mine the way it is. It sits level and looks good.

 

[3957]

OK...now all I have to do is find one! Thanks